This site and its partners use technology such as cookies to personalize content and ads and analyse traffic. By using this site you agree to its privacy policy. You can change your mind and revisit your choices at anytime in future.

Jharkhand youth kills priest for denying him glass to consume alcohol

Police have seized the weapon used in the crime along with a spade used to dig the pit. The accused was remanded in judicial custody following his arrest.

Updated: Sep 03, 2018 10:36:58

By HT Correspondent

Police officials at the site where temple priest’s body was buried at Hariharpur Jamtoli village under Bero police station, Jharkhand, on Saturday, September 1, 2018.
(HT Photo )

Police in Jharkhand arrested a man for allegedly killing a temple priest after the 65-year-old refused to provide him a glass for consuming liquor.

Bero police station-in-charge Jitendra Kumar Raman said the accused, Vikas Mahli, 19, of Hariharpur Jamtoli village had stolen money from his parents on Friday. He purchased two bottles of country liquor, and went to the temple to consume it, Raman said.

“Mahli asked the priest Ramkeshwar Manjhi alias Pahari Baba, who stayed alone in a hut near the temple, for a glass so that he could consume liquor. The priest refused and tried to scare him away with a knife. A scuffle ensued and the knife fell from the priest’s hand. The accused picked up the knife, and attacked the priest,” said the official.

He said the accused stabbed the priest several times. Thereafter, he consumed liquor, said the official, adding that on finding the priest dead, Mahli severed his head.The accused then slept in the priest’s hut, said Raman.

The accused realized his crime when he woke up on Saturday. “He had sobered up by then, and tried to find a way to dispose the body. He then took the body and the severed head near a banyan tree, around 100 yards from the hut, and buried them,” the official said.

When the villagers couldn’t find the priest on Sunday morning, Mahli confessed to his crime after some time and said he had committed a sin, Raman added. Villagers beat up the accused and tied him to a tree.

“After reaching the spot, on the basis of the accused confession, we exhumed the body, and send it for postmortem,” said the official.

Police have seized the weapon used in the crime along with a spade used to dig the pit. The accused was remanded in judicial custody following his arrest.